Calvin lewis weser



Na Model.)

0. L. WESER.

PIANO-TRUCK.

'No.395,37 1". Patented Jan.1,18'8'9..

wmvsss s:

Arromvn rier,

PATENT "ALVIN LEWIS wnsnn, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

PIANO-TRUCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 395,371, dated January 1, 18189. Application filed April 28, 1838. Serial No. 272,196. (No model.)

T0 (0 whom it may concern Be it known that l, CALVIN LEWIS \VEsER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Piano-Trucks, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is a new laborsaving truck and bench combined for lifting, holding, and moving upright pianoefortes.

The following specifications will enable any mechanic skilled in the art to construct and operate it.

The said truck and bench combined is shown in the accompanying drawin Figure 1 shows the machinein position just prior to receiving the piano-forte A upon its bed-frame. Fig. 2 shows the same just after the piano has been drawn over upon the bedframe. Fig. 3 shows it in its position as a bench, holding the piano-forte in a nearlyhorizontal position. It is obvious that these figures are merely illustrative of some of the positions in which the piano can be held, and that the regulating-rod 9 permits the piano to be held at any desired angle with the floor. Fig. at is a plan view of the machine proper when in nearly the same position as in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an end view of the machine alone when in the same position as in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is an end view of the machine alone when in about the same position as in Fig. Fig. 7 shows the machine bisected by a vertical plane through the line a; 03', Fig. 4. Fig. 8 shows the machine bisected similarly through the line y y, Fig. Jr.

This new truck of my invention is primarily intended for use in the repairing and manufacturing of upright piano-fortes. Incidentally it will also be found useful in the transportation of a piano-forte short distancesfor example, between different points in the shop, factory, or store, or between a depot or store and a vehicle upon which it is to be loaded.

Under the present system of manufacturing, upright pianos are constantly being lifted bodily by two or more men whenever it is necessary to place a piano upon its back. This necessity arises in the bellying, stringing, fly-finishing, varnish rubbing, and fitting up. As the average upright piano weighs seven hundred (700) pounds, the special workman is obliged to call upon his neighboring shopmate to leave his work and assist him in turning the piano upon its back by mere muscular force. The aggregate of time lost in this way in a large shop is very considerable.

In my new machine the laws of gravitation and leverage are so employed that a boy of ten years having it as an ally can put the upright in any desired position more easily than two or three men could accomplish it.

Cumbersome contrivanecs have been devised and are somewhat in use for carrying piano-fortes up a flight of stairs; but these machines are utterly unlike my improvements both in principle and operation.

In the accompanying drawings the same ele ments are represented by identical. letters in each of the figures.

A represents an upright piano-forte of the usual form; I) b, the side pieces of the bedframe I) Z) d d, upon which the back of the piano-forte is to rest, and each terminated at its lower extremity by the dogs a a; and f f f is a swiveled cross-bar uniting the sides I) b of the bed -i'rame. This cross -bar is hinged into the two standards m m at the points ff, as shown.

g is a regulating-rod attached firmly at its lower extremity to the straight cross-bar Z Z, (which cross-bar is also attached to the standards m m'.) The upper extremity of the crossbar plays through the circular opening 23 in the upper cross-bar d d, which unites the upper part of the two side bars (Z (1.

Z L Z is a bar extending between standards on m, and firmly attached thereto at points below the swiveled bar ff f Around the bar Z L Z at L, the center thereof, the regulating-rod g is hinged by means of a close-fitting eye at the end thereof, or by any equivalent method of l1inging.

is a stop-button firmly attached, as shown, to the rod g, and at any desired point along its length, depending upon the extent to which the especial employment of the truck finds it most convenient to revolve the piano-forte upon the bed-frame around the centers f ff.

Instead of having the stop 7:. rigidly fixed,

it may readily be adjustable if bored out to slide along the rod g, and supplemented by a set-screw, which will firmly bind it against the rod at any desired point.

e is a set-screw or clamp operating through a female screw tapped opposite the opening 19 in the upper cross-bar (l d, and for the purpose of clamping the regulating-rod g at that point, and thus holding it at any point between the upper extremity s and the stop 7;.

\V is a wheel attached to the setscrew e for the purpose of turning and unturning the screw.

0 shows one of the two bases (one at. each side of the truck) to which the standard, as mm, is attached. These bases are fumiished with casters, as 0 0, upon which the truck and its load can be readily rolled from one point to another. The points ff, where the swiveled cross-bar f f f is centered, are placed at such height from the plane of the floor as will make the weight of the average upright piano-forte most nearly balance when resting upon the bed of the truck. The cross-bar f f f may be somewhat raised above the level of the bed-frame side pieces, I) b, and, as shown in the drawings, is bent upward for that purpose. The extent of the elevation of this cross-bar above the plane of the bedframe can be varied in different machines, according to the height at which the piano-forte may be required to be held for either mechanical work in the shop or loading into vehicles, &c.

The material from which my improved truck is constructed is not essential, provided it has sufficient strength and rigidity for the work. Hard wood, cast or wrought metal, or a combination of these, are among the best materials to be used in the construction of this truck.

The regulating-rod g is prevented from moving through the opening 1) of the upper crossbar d d both by the stop 7; and the set-screw c. It therefore acts as a brake (when so stopped) upon the revolution of the bed of the truck around the centers ff". The crossbar Z L Z may be modified by being so constructed as to permit it to revolve in the standards m m instead of'being fixed thereto, as shown. In this method of construction the rod g would then be firmly attached to the bar at L, and would be revolved by the motion of the bar, instead of itself revolving the bar, as in the construction shown in the drawings.

I do not confine myself to any particular method of imparting to the regulating-rod its motion through the upper part of the bedframe at p, the essential point being merely that it shall move coincidently with the mo tion of the swiveled cross-bar f f f It will be observed that the dogs a a are bent at an acute angle with the bed-frame. The object of this is to permit such leverage, when they are inserted below the piano forte, that they will easily embed themselves in the bottom of the piano, and thus prevent it from slipping off the truck.

The operation of this improved truck will be readily understood from the drawings and the foregoing description of parts by an y one skilled in the art. The dogs a a, being provided with sharp points, as shown, are easily inserted into thebottom framing of the piano-forte. The upper part of the pianoforte is then drawn over upon the bed-frame f b d 1) until its weight can be removed from the floor. The truck and its load are then revolved around the centers f f This motion necessarily revolves the regulating-rod, which is connected to the barZL Z, and moves it through the opening p in the upper crossbar (Z d. hen the piano has been brought to the desired position or angle, the set-screw c is clamped against the regulating-rod g and binds the entire truck from further revolution, holding the piano forte firmly and rigidly upon it by means of the dogs a a andits own weight.

The great weight of the piano restrains the casters from moving while it is being placed upon the truck. By the usual application of force the truck and its load may then be rolled upon the casters, as described. The function and operation of the stop 7e has been fully explained in. the foregoing description of the drawings.

The unloading of the piano fromthe truck is of course the reverse of the above operation, and so easily understood as to preclude the necessity for specific description. In addition to the advantage in the economy of labor and force by the use of my improved truck is the further one, that it saves the frequent dropping of the piano-forte upon the saw-horses, the jar of which tends to throw the piano out of tune. This truck permits the slow and gentle handling of the piano on all occasions.

I do not broadly claim in a truck a swiveled bed-frame, combined with standards in which it revolves.

What I claim, and desire to have secured by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a piano-forte truck, the bed-frame b Z) (Z (Z, unitedto the standards m m in such manner that the bed-frame may revolve in the standards at points approximately opposite the balancing plane of an upright piano-forte, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. In combination with the swiveled bed-' frame of a piano-forte truck, as described in claim 1, a regulating-rod, g, connected with the cross-bar ZL Z and revolving coincidently with the revolution of the swiveled bed-frame by means of its insertion through the opening 19 in the upper cross-bar d d, substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. In combination with the swiveled bedframe and the regulating-rod g of a pianoforte truck, a stop or button, k, attached to the regulating-rod g,f01' the purpose of limitg, the side pieces of the bed-frame b b, tering the revoi utien of the tru ck 211 mm (1 its cenminated at their lower extremities by the dog's tersff. a a, substantially as described.

4-. In combination with the swiveled bed- Signed at New York, in the county of New 5 frmne and the regulating-rod g, it set-se1'eW, York and State of New York, this Qith day of I5 6, inserted into the upper cross-bar b 1), 0p- April, A. I). 1888.

posite the opening 1), to bind 01' clamp the CALVIN LEWIS VESER. regulating-rod g in the openingp, substzm- \Vitnesses: tially as described. WM. B. KRUG,

1o 5. In combination. with the regulating-rod 1 HENRY V. PARSELL. 

